


Pick It Up

by TehMoonPrincess



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blackwatch, Blackwatch Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Canon-Typical Violence, Fall of Overwatch, Grabbing, Implied Relationships, M/M, Memories, Past, Past Relationship(s), Post-Fall of Overwatch, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, Reaper | Gabriel Reyes Redemption, Strike-Commander Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, Tension, Trapped, Young Reaper | Gabriel Reyes/Young Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, dogtags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:28:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29625654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TehMoonPrincess/pseuds/TehMoonPrincess
Summary: He took a long sigh.Pick it up, he told himself.Prove that you still care.The aftermath of the bombing accident, memories of old times in service, and a fated encounter all bring their fair share of hurt and comfort. This is a small story about what went through Jack and Gabriel's minds since the fall of Overwatch.
Relationships: Reaper | Gabriel Reyes/Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Pick It Up

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! It has been a bit since I posted something but I realized I never shared this one! I love to write character angst, and these two (oh boy) embody that, so enjoy!

_ “I’m sorry, Gabe.” _

_ “I’m so sorry that you felt that way and I did nothing about it.” _

A headache was the first pain he felt. Then rushed in the aches of sore joints and broken bones. Slowly, his senses and memories came back to him. He had barely survived that explosion, he should be grateful to be alive; instead, he merely felt groggy and irritated. Jack carefully opened his eyes, one at a time. He discovered that he was on his back, his head tilted just enough to the right to see the flames engulfing the wreckage of the former Swiss base. The scene had a hazy filter, a sign that eyes were permanently screwed up. He was fine with the idea of living with blindness, considering his luck with the rest of his body today. 

A sound caused his ears to listen again: a distorted siren, most likely the emergency alarm of the wrecked base. He couldn't believe the thing was working, but its distorted cry told Jack that it would soon die, just like him. Die like him. He chuckled but suffered for it. He clasped his chest at the pain regretting his laughter. He knew he was in bad shape and doubted his ability to survive. Jack never quits, though. He pushes, pursues, and fights on till he’s able to stand. And with this mentality, he tried to pick himself up. He’s clumsy all the way but managed to bring his weight off the ground. He soon got on to his feet, standing shakily on weak ankles and sore legs. His hands clung to his coat to assure himself that his body wouldn’t fall apart.

His breath was shaky and choppy - he figured he’d probably punctured a lung. Looking around, he could make out the outlines of a few solitary hunks of twisted and charred metal towering over him. Faint logos appeared and the scent of burnt materials surrounded him. He wasn’t far from where the main headquarter once was- maybe thirty feet? Forty? Jack wasn’t quite sure. His eyes couldn’t see too far ahead before his sight became fuzzy. He took a deep breath and promptly felt a stabbing pain in his side. Groaning, his hands cradled the spot and felt broken ribs pressed to his fingers. He needed to take action, staying in one place was no good. Jack walked slow and took careful steps with his weakened legs. 

His mind raced. He was so disturbed by what led up to the explosion here at the swiss base.

“Gabriel…” he murmured. He was the reason Jack was here in the first place. The fight, the yelling, and the explosion; it all came rushing back. And as soon as the sparks began they ended and they died. 

Died. Is he dead? His heart stopped. He stopped. _ Is he dead? _

_ Gabe. Gabe!  _

“Gabriel!?” Jack yelled, the damage in his side flaring up again. He didn’t care. He didn’t care about the pain, or their fight, or who was at fault. He wanted, no, _ needed _ to find Gabriel. His war buddy, his comrade, his friend, his - “Gabriel!!” he wailed, limping towards where Gabe could possibly be trapped. His faded blue eyes darted as he glanced across the rubble, looking everywhere for something, anything, but all he could see were towers of rubble and gravel. He continued to shout, to move, to look, and slipped into _ a panic _ . 

_ Please be okay, oh god, please be okay _ . 

He shouldn't be so worked up. He knew full well that Gabriel hated him now, and despised him. Jack had taken his job, taken his glory, and now… _ no, he isn’t, he can’t be _ . He was running out of energy; his yelling had gone weak and the pain in his chest only grew. He stumbled to a stop, grabbing his chest to hold his sharp breathing. 

Then he saw it: a little steel pendant lying in the dirt beneath him. He reached for it, hearing the clink of metal against the chain as he picked it up. He didn’t want to believe what he saw. No man would just lose his dog tag. It couldn’t be, yet there the necklace was in his hands.

REYES

GABRIEL

320 823 2124

O NEG

CATHOLIC

_ He’s gone, Jack. He’s gone. _ He stared at the pendant for what felt like a millennium. It glinted in the dim light, nice and clean. He clenched it tightly, his eyes welling up with tears. 

. . .

  
  


“Jack?” Gabriel spoke with a soft tone, different than his usual sarcastic voice. Confused, Jack turned his head.

It had been a long day of training - their rigorous curriculum as super soldiers was jam-packed and nonstop. They were taking advantage of an hour’s break to unwind back in their dorm. 

“Yeah, Gabe?” he replied. Gabriel sat on the edge of his bed, his hands clasped firmly. 

“I want you to have my tag… when I’m gone. Just… pick it up for me.” He finished, reaching up to grab his beanie. He placed the hat in his lap, staring at it. Jack raised a brow. Was Gabe really that worried about what would happen after his death? 

“Why not your family, Gabe?”

“Well, I just - trust you more, I guess.” 

Jack paused and let out a sigh. He offered what Gabriel always called his “boy scout smile” and moved to sit next to him on the bed. . “Gabe, you’re one of the best guys out there. Don’t ever be worried that you’re going down anytime soon. If anything happens, I got your back. And you got mine, right?” Gabriel took a pause before changing his mood.

“Yeah,” he said, grinning. 

. . .

Despite their fights, their jealousy, their anger, Jack had cared for Gabe. Deep down, he knew Gabriel had been doing what he thought was best, but sometimes what’s best isn’t what’s right. Jack took another shaky breath. He carefully hung the tag around his neck, next to his. He continued onward, his feet trying to keep up with himself. Gabriel Reyes was dead. 

. . .

Soldier: 76 found himself in another predicament like he did every time he tried to take on a Talon agent. Most of the time, he got himself out of these Talon encounters with just a bruise or two. Here he was, however, trapped in an alleyway with a cracked visor, a torn jacket, and a broken spirit: all done by the terror that was the Reaper. He could barely make out the thin smoke that enveloped him as the masked figure approached. 

“Long time no see,  _ boy scout _ .” it spat, dropping its weapons. Reaper knew its presence was enough of a threat even without the shotguns. “You’ve really screwed up this time, haven’t you?” 

“What do you want,  _ Reyes _ ,” demanded Soldier. He had known for months now that Reaper was Gabriel, ever since his run-in with Ana in Egypt. She had confessed to him what horror lay under the mask: the man he had once loved converted to a monster. What horrified him the most was knowing he played a role in Gabriel’s demise. Overwatch had betrayed them, both of them. But sometimes what’s best isn’t what’s right.

“No need to act so harsh, _ Morrison _ . Can’t a guy pay a visit?”

“When that visit involves a brutal attack? No thanks. Just get this over with already.”

“Hmph, always so straightforward, Jack. Just like the good old days in Overwatch.” Soldier’s body shook with frustration at Reaper. He was tired of his cocky attitude; Gabriel always did think he was two steps ahead of the enemy. By now, the phantom was only a few inches away, looming over him as he huddled in a corner. He stared helplessly at the pale mask. He still believed there was a man behind that mask. A man with dark eyes and a sly smirk and a heart for his friends and - Reaper grabbed his jacket, pulling Soldier out of his thoughts and towards him. The jolt caused something to faintly clink underneath his leather jacket. Reaper paused for a moment, unreadable, before reaching in. His metal talons grazed his neck as he withdrew two identical chain necklaces. 

Reaper paused again, longer this time. He stared at the dog tags, inscrutable, silent. His and Jack’s tags. There was a beat before low laughter overtook Reaper. He began to cackle like a madman, letting go of the chains. He threw his hands to his sides and said with disdain, “You actually care about that military bravado shit, Jack?” 

Soldier was done with this. He was tired after the fight. He was tired of having to deal with this prick. And he was most certainly tired of Reaper’s act. In a stunt of frustration, he ripped Gabriel’s tag off his neck, breaking the chain and throwing it to the ground. Reaper stopped laughing, his reaction seemed to have taken the phantom off guard. Soldier was glad to be wearing a mask. He didn’t want Reaper to see the heartache on his face. 

“No. I don’t. But you did once.” 

Reaper, caught by surprise, didn’t even try to stop Soldier as he stormed off. He paused only to collect his weapon tossed away during the fight further down the alley. He then ran off as if Reaper would follow, but no black mist pursued him - he was alone. 

Reaper gazed at the thing he had once called part of him. Despite the dark night, the tag shone, reflecting some unseen light source. He took a long sigh.  _ Pick it up _ , he told himself.  _ Prove that you still care _ . Reaper took a few steps and reached down to grab the broken chain. He turned the tag over in his hand; Jack had taken good care of it. Reaper ran a thumb over the sculpted letters before slipped the dog tag into his jacket. 

“I never expected him to keep it anyway,” he murmured. Reaper turned to pick up his shotguns, just like Jack had done before him, and took long strides out of the alleyway. 

_ “I’m sorry, Jack.” _

_ “I forgot how much you cared about me.” _

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Thank you for reading my fanfic. If you enjoy these little one-chapter character stories/ ship fic I write then please leave a Kudo! It really helps me know people enjoy my writings <3\. Productive criticism always welcomed, especially for grammar.


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